Of Black Wings in the Cold
by LSP Reviewer
Summary: Liana always dreamed of leaving Cyrodiil to visit Skyrim for its ancient history and ruins pertaining to dragons. Unfortunately her trip gets postponed by an Imperial ambush, thrusting her into a dangerous world she was unprepared for. Will a certain black dragon lead to her demise, or end up having a more meaningful impact on Liana's life? M rating for later events in the story.
1. Chapter 1: Dragon Attack

Skyrim Fanfiction:

Of Black Wings in the Cold

Chapter 1

My sight slowly returned as my eyes opened groggily. Looking around, I took in my surroundings in my current situation. A man with a cloth bound around his mouth sat across from me on my left, while two others were on my right, and we were apparently riding in a carriage driven by Imperial soldiers. Why did I get in this predicament? The last thing I remember was that I was journeying to Skyrim from my home the Imperial City, when all of a sudden people on the border between the two provinces became ambushed. Loud screaming of "Stormcloak scum!" was heard before I was knocked unconscious. Unfortunately the Imperial soldiers must have mistaken me for one of the enemy and took me as well. This was more than what I expected out of a simple trip to my neighboring province.

Our carriage began to enter a little village, surrounded by a sturdy wall to keep out invaders. As we rounded the corner of a tower, I spotted a chopping block with soldiers posted around the vicinity.

_Oh divines, help me! I don't want to die for something I wasn't involved in!_ I mentally pleaded to above, but felt no better in doing so. I only wanted to visit the dragon burial mounds I heard so much about in various tomes and books I read over the years. Dragons always fascinated me, especially their dominative appearance and their ancient legends. The trip was supposed to be a gift to myself on my twenty first birthday, but obviously it had to be postponed for the moment.

My head jolted to the side, to my dislike, as our ride came to an abrupt halt. The prisoners were forcefully led from the carriage over to a soldier holding a list, most likely to check off the names of people they believed they captured. I was so focused on absorbing in where I was that I was caught by surprise when the man called me forward.

"You there, come forward." He formally stated, "What is your name?"

"Liana," I replied with a hint of attitude.

His face changed demeanor as came closer and he inspected my appearance with a look of admiration. Back home I was known by the city folk to be very attractive lady, and I couldn't blame them. With flowing auburn hair down to my shoulders and an innocent face with soft features, it was rare that a guy wouldn't try to court me. Unfortunately for them I was so engrossed in my fascination of Skyrim's dragons that I barely paid the opposite sex any attention, and instead spent my time learning in libraries or spending time with friends. The man cleared his throat before looking over to a female Imperial officer who stood next him.

"She's not on the list," he told her with a confused expression. This woman apparently didn't like me for some reason as she gave me a deathly glare before replying, "Forget the list, she goes to the block!"

What in Oblivion was this woman's problem? Was she jealous of my looks or something, because last time I remember I never did anything wrong! My surprise must have been plastered on my face because she barked "Move prisoner!" and shoved me towards the execution block. A forceful boot pushed me onto the block from my back, my head positioned for chopping. _Akatosh, please get me out of this situation, I don't deserve this!_ I sent a mental prayer to the heavens above, hoping for a miracle. A priest was present and said her blessings for me before my death. In the distance a roar permeated the sky, causing a few soldiers to express worry about the noise.

"What was that?" some questioned, but their Imperial officer overheard them and said it was simply nothing. The sound seemed to draw closer as everyone heard it again, but the executioner seemed not to be deterred and lifted his axe in preparation. My eyes squinted closed as I feared the worst when a large thud was audible close by and a roar pierced the air.

"Dragon!" someone shrieked, piquing my curiosity. Doubtful eyes slowly opened as I took in what sat proudly on the village's watchtower. A living, breathing dragon was perched there, head pointed to the sky as it let loose some kind of magic from its maw, summoning a storm of raining fireballs. Its coloration was a deep onyx with magnificent horns, the appearance of rippling muscles under its scaly hide, and blood red eyes that seemed to penetrate one's being. I quickly got to my feet due to the fact that the executioner seemed to have run off from the sight of the black dragon, and sprinted in the direction of a house close by. Luckily I seemed not to be noticed and safely reached the building, slamming the door shut behind me and panting in panic.

_Oh my goodness, a dragon, a REAL dragon!_ I freaked out on the inside. This was so surreal, I always wanted to witness a living dragon, but I knew from history books that they were all killed long ago by the Akaviri, or so Tamriel thought. This one arriving here proved otherwise. Screams and yells were heard outside, along with guttural shouts of what sounded like _Yor Toor Shul!_ and the smell of smoke following after. My excitement died down as the initial panic seemed to vanish and an eerie silence settled on the village. Slowly I reached for the door and pushed open to have a potent stench assail my nose, almost like roasted meat. That's when I noticed a charred body nearby the door, barely identifiable as a person. Before I could react a shadow fell over me and the dragon from before stood only feet away with a cold glare from its red eyes.

"_Dovahkiin," _it seemed to address me in a masculine tone, with his head bent to observe me at eye level. I shuddered from the close proximity to such a creature, the dragon's deadly fangs bared from his mouth. Strangely I didn't feel afraid, actually I felt more compelled to reach out and touch the face of the very thing I dreamed of seeing rather than run. My cheeks blushed as I pondered about how soothingly hot his breath felt on my skin.

"_I am Alduin, the World Eater. Fate has brought you here as you are born with dragon blood, Dovahkiin."_ The male-voiced dragon, now known to be Alduin, gruffly spoke to me. With some hesitation, I stuttered in response, "M-my name is Liana, and what do you mean I have dragon blood, t-that is just…preposterous!" Expecting an answer, I stood there with crossed arms, but instead Alduin began to flex his wings outward in anticipation for flight.

"Wait a moment-" I began to say before he cut me off, growling, _"Even though you do not realize it yet, you are a potential threat Dovahkiin. I have decided to spare you though, for now. Savor that the lord of the dovah took pity on you. Until we meet again, mortal."_ With that being said he ascended above the village with multiple beats of his muscular forearms and flew northbound towards the mountains. A few seconds passed as I snapped out of my trance and stopped staring in the direction he disappeared at in the distance. This turn of events piqued my interests into learning exactly who this Alduin is and what he meant by me having dragon blood. He only lingered for a minute to speak with me and already my mind was wondering off to ponder how rough his scales would feel under my gentle fingers, how sharp his claws and horns would be, the texture of his mouth…

"What on Nirn am I thinking?" I questioned myself, "This is a dangerous creature, and I should treat it with caution, no matter how fascinating he may be…" With this decision, I wandered out of the village I was currently located in search of a nearby town, inn, or any place to stay at. The predicament of where to live while visiting Skyrim never arose in my mind until I finally realized I was on my own after the dragon attack. All of the citizens who used to inhabit this town were either burned to a crisp or fled during the initial chaos, so I was left alone.

A strange longing that the dragon that _just _decimated the town would have taken me with him so I wouldn't feel abandoned tugged at the back of my mind, as crazy as it sounded. Such thoughts didn't change the situation at hand, so I ignored it and headed out into the wilderness that is known as Skyrim.


	2. Chapter 2: City of Whiterun

Skyrim Fanfiction:

Of Black Wings in the Cold

Chapter 2

The frigid wind raked across my face as I shivered from its icy touch. The local fauna seemed to ignore my presence for the time being, as I have not met any threatening animals on my trek down a road that led to a small logging town I spotted far off downhill. Protection was starting to become a growing problem, as I had not too much experience in the department of combat and self-defense. My father owned a dagger that he taught me how to handle, but other than that I was pretty much clueless on how to properly fight. My observations of this province's landscape began to confirm that Skyrim had more untamed wilderness than back home, most likely filled with dangerous creatures.

The entrance to town quickly approached as I finally reached my destination. The place was a humble community complete with a smithy and a log mill. An old lady was sitting on her porch mumbling something angrily under her breath.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" I politely asked the woman. She seemed to snap out of her current state and answered, "What? Oh, we are in Riverwood my child! It might not last for long though!"

"Why is that?"

"Why, WHY? Because there is a dragon on the loose! I saw it fly by over the mountain tops, but everyone thinks I'm crazy! I know what I saw!" she seethed in anger, but I reassured her by replying, "I believe you, I was just in a village up the hill when a large black dragon attacked. I barely survived." I conveniently left out the part about the dragon intentionally sparing me, seeing that it sounded too farfetched. Her eyes lit up in satisfaction as I was the first person to believe her in town.

"At least someone knows the danger we're in. You should report this to Whiterun's Jarl, Riverwood needs more guards my dear!" she suggested me to do all this, even though I had not a clue where this "Whiterun" even was.

"Sure, I'll do that," was my rushed reply while briskly walking away, as I wanted to leave the woman alone to her own devices due to her current state of paranoia. Only a few short seconds passed until I arrived at the doorstep of the local inn. Sleep and food to eat were at the top of my list at the time, compelling me to enter. The fuzzy warmth of the indoor fire was a stark contrast to outside's nippy weather, not that I was complaining. Taking a seat at a stool, I purchased a room for a one night stay and trudged to its bed. Nothing would stop me at that moment from getting the rest I badly needed. My body was sprawled across the bed sheets as I began to drift off. _Skyrim and its dragons will have to wait till tomorrow, _I lazily mused, _Right now, I need to relax._

* * *

Strong wings sliced through the frigid air as Alduin patrolled the night sky of Tamriel. His face was impassive while his thoughts wondered off to the human female he met earlier that day. _Why do I feel so drawn to just a simple joor, a mortal? _He questioned himself, _Even if she is the Dovahkiin, I still should not be so interested in her presence. _Conflicting emotions clouded his mind, frustrating the World Eater. He was the lord of all dragons, yet the appearance of one girl caused him to act in such a distracted manner. Finally coming to a decision, Alduin angled his trajectory towards the nearest city. _I must find out what this feeling within me is, and with haste,_ he concluded, his gaze hard and set upon his goal ahead.

* * *

Tall walls loomed overhead of me while I approached the city of central Skyrim, Whiterun. The architecture looked quite worn down from my observations, with sections of the wall surrounding the settlement completely crumbled and in disrepair. As I entered the city though, the atmosphere seemed to suddenly shift. Inside was a prosperous, friendly city with townsfolk buying produce and meats in the market, kids running carefree while playing tag, and guards whose presence gave me the sense that the place was as safe as can be.

_Right,_ I reminded myself, _where's this so called Jarl? _Through extensive questioning I soon learned that the Jarl of Whiterun, Balgruuf the Greater, was situated in a palace named Dragonsreach located at the highest elevation in the city.

"Yeah, if you walk up these stairs, you'll see the Jarl's palace in the Cloud District, can't miss it," A local told me cordially. I nodded in thanks and travelled the flight of steps, entering the Cloud District. The sight that I beheld was like nothing I ever witnessed back home in Cyrodiil. A massive structure of Nordic design stood proud and tall at the northern most tip of Whiterun, its existence seeming to dominate everything it surrounded. Large doors opened before me as I pushed my way through the entrance to enter the palace. Inside was just as impressive as the exterior, complete with towering wooden columns and the Jarl himself seated upon a throne at the far end of the room. Everyone's eyes turned towards me as I neared the Jarl's position, all with looks of distrust and wariness.

"Ahem, um, Jarl Balgruuf," I began awkwardly, "I have some important news to give you." He was talking with a man dressed in fine clothing next to him, but my interruption stopped their conversation. He looked towards me with annoyance, saying, "Who are you, traveler? What news do you supposedly have that must be important enough to interrupt my court?" A little embarrassed, I explained to him about the dragon appearing in Helgen and how Riverwood was in need of extra protection in case of future attacks from the beast. Balgruuf's face instantly changed into a look of terror as the information sunk in.

"Dragons?! You cannot be serious, I thought they were just myths! If they returned then of course we will send reinforcements to Riverwood!" He shifted in his seat to look to the right of me towards a dark elf that previously I seemed not to notice. She donned tightly fitted leather armor and had the glare of an experienced soldier. "Irileth, I want you to keep a fire brigade on standby in case of dragon attacks," he ordered her. She simply replied with a "Yes, my Jarl," and hurried off to complete his task. "As for you," his attention turned back to me, "I thank you on behalf of Whiterun hold for warning us. You shall be considered an ally to me and my city."

I was genuinely surprised by the turn of events. I haven't been in Skyrim for at least a day and already people were giving me gratitude for something as simple as warning the Jarl of an attack!…Well, I guess a dragon attack is a different story, so to be informed ahead of time might be something to be thanked for. My hand scratched the back of my scalp in shyness as I replied, "It was no big deal…", as I hated to be put in the spotlight. I was only walking away for a few seconds when Balgruuf called out my name.

"Wait a moment traveler, I have a favor to ask you before you go!" By now I was ready to leave, but I didn't want to be on the Jarl's bad side, so reluctantly I turned and waited with a fake smile.

"My court wizard, Farengar, might wish to speak with you," he explained, "Since you witnessed a dragon, and his main study is dragon myths, he might want your assistance." A court wizard wanted my help? This piqued my interest, causing me to decide to stay after all. Upon entering a room off of the main hall of Dragonsreach, a man in blue mage robes greeted me.

"Ah, you must be the one who has seen the dragon. I have use of you if would hear me out." We walked over to his desk, where he set his hands upon the surface and looked at me with interest. "Before I begin, would you mind if I asked how your encounter with the dragon was? Being a man who studies such magnificent creatures, I am very tempted at the opportunity of getting a firsthand account of your experience!" Something told me that he wanted my attention more for the storytelling about dragons than for actual assistance. During the whole retelling of how Helgen was decimated, Farengar had this look of pure engrossment and seemed to absorb every word I uttered. Once again, some details about my encounter with Alduin were left out for personal reasons.

"And that's how I arrived here," I finished, my face displaying a look of annoyance. "Now can we get down to what you wanted my help for in the first place?"

"Oh, my apologies. What I wanted from you could be quite the adventure, if you are up for it. In an ancient Nordic burial site called Bleak Falls Barrow, there is said to be an artifact named the Dragonstone. It would highly benefit my research if you could retrieve such an object for me," He told me. This was extremely more than I could handle, that I knew for sure. Regardless, a feeling of curiosity overwhelmed me as I recalled that dragon relics were frequently discovered at ancient Nordic burial sites. With a little considering, I answered, "Alright, I'll help you," and exited the palace. I seriously hoped that my decision wasn't leading me to my death.


	3. Chapter 3: The World Eater

Skyrim Fanfiction:

Of Black Wings in the Cold

Chapter 3

Far below Alduin outside the city walls of Whiterun walked the Dovahkiin, apparently on her way to someplace of importance due to her fast pace. His interest piqued, the lord of the dovah decided to follow the little mortal to wherever she was heading. His aerial stalking led him to the peak of a mountain where resided an old, partially crumbled tomb that he remembered to be named Bleak Falls Barrow. Perplexed as to why she would venture to such a dangerous place known to be filled with draugr, Alduin swooped down low and landed quietly at the back of the structure_. I only plan to see what transpires here and no more,_ he reassured himself, although he doubted that would happen.

The Dovahkiin's small, curvy form arose from the bottom of the stairs leading to the burial site. Once more an unexplainable feeling swelled in his core upon spotting her more up-close than usual, as if his insides felt uncomfortably hot and squeamish. The World Eater couldn't take the sensation any longer and was about to reveal himself when a group of bandits emerged from behind some pillars and closed in on the female joor with weapons at the ready. _These pitiful mortals shall not harm the Dovahkiin! _Alduin growled under his breath and readied himself for an attack.

* * *

My efforts of sneaking around bandits and marauders on the ascension to the top of the mountain proved successful for the most part, up until I reached Bleak Falls Barrow. As I cautiously climbed the wide stairs to the top platform, some lowlife bandits came towards me from what seemed like nowhere.

"Hey lady, what's a good looking lass like you doing all the way in the wilderness of Skyrim?" one asked with a sadistic smile plastered upon his face. They began to surround me with daggers pointed in my direction in case I tried to run. This was wasting my time, and I started to get impatient.

"Please just leave me alone, I have no coins to take, really!" I told them, but this seemed not to stop their advance.

"Who said we wanted your money?" A Khajiit bandit now addressed me, "it isn't every day that we come across such a fine woman such as you. We might have more, let's say, _pleasurable _plans for you." With that said they all began snickering in a perverted manner. My luck seemed to have run out and I began hopelessly to back away from them, only to reach the edge of the platform. Just as one of them were about to jump me a large breath of flames seemed to spontaneously ignite most of the bandits, only one escaping from immediate death. As my eyes looked skyward I beheld that same dragon from before, Alduin, flying in for another attack on the remaining enemy. Violently he scooped up the man in his jaws in mid-flight and tossed him over the sheer cliff side of the mountain we were on. My heart began to fill with gratitude towards my unlikely savior, and I rushed over to where he currently landed. Alduin seemed uncomfortable with me being so close in proximity, growling, _"What is the reason for being so near joor?" _and turning his gaze to the side awkwardly. I got the message and stepped back a little, now a little confused as to why this dragon seemed to come to my aid at the right time.

"Um, Alduin-"

_"You shall address me as Lord Alduin,"_ he interjected, his dominant personality beginning to return.

I gave him a look as if saying _seriously? _and said sarcastically, "Ok, _Lord _Alduin, how did you know I was in need of assistance at this very moment, hmm? I could have been anywhere in Skyrim, but _somehow _you managed to save me from a group of thugs, just by coincidence I suppose?" My intrusive questioning really put the black dragon on the spotlight, as he began to shuffle around nervously under my gaze. Reluctantly, Alduin answered, _"I will admit joor, I was following you, but only out of boredom. In fact,"_ as he said this he rose up on his hind legs as if to look intimidating, _"You should be grateful I came to your aid in that pitiful situation!"_

"Sure, whatever you say, stalker," I whispered under my breath, rubbing my hand across his snout as I walked past him towards the entrance to the barrow, much to his discomfort. Although just the thought of Alduin even remotely caring about my wellbeing made my heart beat a little faster, I still promised to do a job for someone, and I wasn't going to walk away from it. Not that I could have gone any farther at the moment since a certain someone's tail suddenly slammed down on the ground in front of me, blocking the doorway.

"What in Oblivion?! Move!" I commanded, seriously annoyed. His head lowered down to my level so that his fiery eyes could meet mine.

"_No,"_ was his only remark.

"Could I ask why you won't move, _Lord _Alduin?" I asked. Small gusts of air glided gently over my shoulders as he exhaled, his face now portraying more a sense of worry than of defiance.

_"I …I only wish to keep you from harm, Dovahkiin. The Draugr in these ruins are uncontrollably ruthless, and you do not seem to be the warrior type." _he answered truthfully. Now that I knew his true intentions, I felt a pang of guilt for speaking so rudely. The dragon obviously cared about me, that much was plain to see, but to what extent was still unknown. I then came to the decision to tell him why I came here.

"Well, I only came to this place to retrieve an ancient artifact called the Dragonstone. I didn't expect to have to fight off marauders." I explained to Alduin. With the mention of the Dragonstone, Alduin's eyes seemed to have light up in recognition.

"_Did you say Dragonstone?"_ he asked in a somewhat demanding way.

"Yeah, why? Do you know where to find one?" I suddenly felt so stupid! Why didn't I think to ask a DRAGON about the whereabouts of a DRAGONSTONE! Fortunately he knew where to find one because he told me, _"There is a stone like what you speak of also located at the temple of Skuldafn, and retrieving it wouldn't involve you fighting off the undead."_

"Great! Can you take me there?" I asked, relieved to avoid combat. Alduin then looked extremely troubled, as if something was bothering him. "What's wrong?"

"_Taking you to Skuldafn would be…difficult to say the least Dovahkiin. Although I have taken a liking towards you, my subordinates might see you as an enemy or even prey,"_ He explained, _"I do not know if you will be safe traveling there."_ My cheeks blushed as I heard what he told me. He's taken a liking towards me? Never in my life would I think that I attracted the attention of a dragon, the 'lord of the dovah' no less. A fluttering, warm sensation began to bubble up inside, making me shudder. Pushing back my emotions, I managed to get a sentence out.

"I believe you will keep me safe, Alduin. They are your subordinates after all, put them in their place if they act against your wishes." I suggested. My comforting words allowed Alduin to regain his usual confidence, and he lowered his neck as an invitation for me ride on him. "Are you sure?" I asked, jittery about how close to his head I would be.

_"Just get on, joor!"_ He commanded impatiently, so I quickly hopped on and mounted his neck, holding his horns for support.

* * *

Arousal resurfaced as Alduin felt the small, warm body of the Dovahkiin wrap around his neck ever so gently. Finally the World Eater realized the growing sensation within him during his talk with the mortal named Liana. It was a carnal desire that burned inside like a furnace, threatening to take control. How this came to be was unknown to him, but if Alduin was to confront this female about his 'needs', he knew he had to restrain his cravings, for now. Her soft caress of his horns didn't help in the least, though. It took all his strength not to dominate her right then and there as he took off and flew to the east towards the distant silhouette of the Velothi Mountains, the site of Skuldafn Temple.


	4. Chapter 4: A Dangerous Errand

Skyrim Fanfiction:

Of Black Wings in the Cold

**Wow, I'm surprised anyone even took interest with this story! Now that I know that people are reading it, I will try to work more on writing the next chapters. Constructive criticism really helps, so keep those reviews coming! I know that things between Alduin and Liana are building up a little slow, but I promise that won't last for long guys, so please bear with me! **

* * *

Chapter 4

"Wow…" was the only thing I managed to say upon witnessing the Temple of Skuldafn for the first time. The place was inhabited by numerous amounts of dragons, all perched on archways or pillars of some kind. All eyes were on us as Alduin landed in a courtyard of sorts, lowering his neck for me to hop off. One of the dragons here approached the two of us and started conversing with his lord the World Eater.

_"Alduin thuri, you have returned!"_ this unnamed dragon then proceeded to gaze behind Alduin and laid his eyes upon me, curious. _"I sense this mortal you have brought possesses the dovah sos. Have you brought her here for us to kill?"_ Panic began to seep into my veins at the mention of me being slaughtered. _Please Alduin, don't let them kill me! _I begged to him in my mind. A sly grin appeared on Alduin's mouth as he glanced behind himself in my direction.

_"The Dovahkiin is with me. No dovah is to touch her while she is in MY possession,"_ he replied, _"She is MINE, is that clear?"_ The command clearly was aimed at all the dragons present at Skuldafn, not just the one in Alduin's presence. His threat was answered mostly by submissive agreement, though some of the dragons still appeared on edge. Our pathway was now unobstructed as the dragon in front of us moved aside in an reluctant manner, and Alduin simply huffed in slight annoyance as he moved past him. I was a bit upset about having to pretend to be the slave, but whatever kept me alive was most appreciated in my books. I walked briskly behind Alduin, trying to stay as close to him as possible in my anxiety. Although he was supposedly the 'lord of dovah', I still didn't trust the other dragons to not eat me "by accident".

We were nearing the temple doors when Alduin looked at me and said, _"Wait here." _He walked forward to meet a strange kind of masked priest at the doorway to the temple, who held a staff resembling a dragon and wore scaled robes. The way this ancient priest floated above the ground told me that he was a skilled mage, for levitation wasn't an easy thing to master. This priest and Alduin spoke to one another for Akatosh knows how long, until finally the priest nodded to his master and entered the temple. A minute had passed by the time he returned, grasping a stone tablet with ancient dragon inscriptions and carvings.

_"Take it,"_ Alduin told me, so I hesitantly went up to the priest to receive the artifact. This person started to look more intimidating the closer I got to him. He towered over me since he was floating above the ground, and the mask that obscured his face was of a strange, ominous design. Holding out my hand, I took the Dragonstone from him. There was an awkward moment where his gaze seemed to linger on me for a moment, and then he abruptly floated away and disappeared into the temple. Now that I had the Dragonstone, I began to examine its contents. My gentle fingers brushed across the surface of the engraved text, feeling the tablet's cool temperature. _This thing better be worth the trouble! _I mused. Approaching Alduin, I asked, "Are we leaving now? I'm getting kind of hungry." As if on cue, my stomach rumbled in agreement. My question, though, was unanswered for a long time as Alduin just stood there, pondering about something unknown to me.

* * *

Alduin's attitude began to sour as he contemplated the consequences of taking a mortal as a mate. He knew for sure that the other dov would see it as a disgrace, a sign of weakness. One of them was bound to challenge his authority if his attraction to the Dovahkiin became known to all, and this was something he was not eager to look forward to. Nevertheless, he could not deny the burning ache that dwelled within him, so he decided that his brethren would just have to deal with it. _I must confront her with this, _He concluded as he emerged from his thoughts to speak to the Dovahkiin.

* * *

_"Dovahkiin, there is something I must ask you,"_ Alduin finally spoke gruffly after a long period of silence.

"Yeah, what is it?" I said.

_"I-"_ he began to say when one dragon, a Frost Dragon to be exact, descended from the sky and landed by me, interrupting Alduin. A look of animosity from his eyes was aimed in my direction, and gleaming fangs flashed white in the sun as the dragon bared his teeth.

_"Alduin, this joor harbors the soul of a dovah within, I felt it! She is Dovahkiin!" _he roared. Alduin looked unsurprised, which confused the other dragon. _"Thuri, why are you not upset? This mortal has the power to TAKE OUR SOUL if any of us dovah are killed! She must be dealt with!" _Standing on the sidelines, I was starting to get nervous from all this information. _Take their souls? _I thought, _What are they going on about? I could barely take a cookie from the cookie jar back home, how on Nirn was I going to steal their souls? _The World Eater came between me and the Frost Dragon and head-butted him dead in the face, knocking him onto his back with a nose covered in hot blood.

_"Do not question me underling, I am well aware of her being Dovahkiin! She will not kill any of us, not while under my rule! In fact, she is to be my apprentice and companion until I see fit!"_ Alduin spouted from his mouth in fury, seething in anger at the suggestion of killing me. He gave a quick glance in my direction and barked, _"Come!"_ while stooping his head low for me to climb aboard. I wasn't one to dawdle in a situation like this, so I gladly hopped onto his neck. The Dragonstone in my hands was then securely stashed inside a bag I happened to be carrying for safekeeping. A strong beat of ebony wings propelled us upward so that we were hovering above the other dragons at the temple.

_"We do not approve of this decision Alduin Thuri! That Dovahkiin is a threat, even to you great one," _a bronze hued dragon yelled to us. The whole "I'm a dangerous threat" business was starting to get on my nerves, and suddenly I couldn't take it anymore. I yelled in retaliation, "I don't know why you think I will try to steal your souls or something along those lines, but I honestly have no idea what you are talking about, so stop accusing me of something I have no knowledge of!" Several of the large creatures looked to each other in surprise, and a few others stood eerily silent after my outburst. I seriously hoped this was a sign of them understanding me, and not them being offended or anything. Alduin didn't plan to stick around any longer for me to find out, because he began to flap his wings and fly away from Skuldafn without a second thought.

Thoughts about what Alduin said about me churned within my mind, prompting me to question him.

"What was all that about? Am I to be your apprentice, or was that something you said to get them to stop questioning you?" I inquired.

_"Becoming my apprentice was the truth,"_ he replied, _"You need to unlock your true potential of being bestowed with dovah sos, dragon blood. I cannot always be present to save you from trivial threats." _

After a half an hour's worth of soaring through the crisp air, the landscape gradually began to transition from the previous mountainous terrain. Grassy plains stretched far and wide across the untamed surface of Skyrim below us, and the black dragon decided to land here for a moment's rest. I traced my hands across his textured horns on my descent from his neck, inciting a shudder from the great dragon. A laugh escaped my mouth at this comical reaction, much to his dislike. _"Why must you tease me so?"_ Alduin growled.

"I don't mean to!" I giggled, "It's just too easy!" As much fun as I was having at the time, the promise of returning the Dragonstone to Farengar prompted me to return to Whiterun. "I really should get back to Whiterun now that I have what I set out for…" I informed Alduin somberly. He looked as reluctant as I was to separate for the time being, and his warm snout made contact with my chest. Bright ruby eyes gazed deep into mine, full of disappointment.

_"You shall not leave,"_ he simply stated. This made me scoff in disbelief.

"You can't keep me here! I really need to get back," I pleaded, "People are expecting me!" His eyes narrowed at me, until he finally admitted defeat.

_"Fine. You must return immediately afterwards though. Your training shall begin as soon as possible."_ Breathing hot air from his nostrils in annoyance, he turned away from me and expanded his mighty wings.

"Are you just leaving me here?" I asked in disbelief. Without even facing me he responded, _"This city, Whiterun you called it, is only a few minutes of a walk away. I am sure you can manage."_ And just like that he rose into the clear skies of Tamriel, soaring off into the distance and leaving me to fend for myself. "Ass," I smirked, beginning the short trek to the city.

A small pebble bounced across the dirt road as I gently kicked it for amusement. All thoughts wandered to my recent escapade with Alduin, from my simple curiosity of Skuldafn's dragon cult architecture to the secret attraction I had towards the ebony dragon. I didn't know if it was his regal attitude that drew my attention to him, or if I was just a strange person, but I couldn't deny my inner longing. He just seemed so…_sexy_, with that husky tone of voice he always used. When he speaks, I feel so vulnerable beneath him, as if he could do whatever he wanted to me and I had not the power to stop him. His appearance fascinated me, with those rippling muscles beneath his black, overlapping scales, and the penetrating glare that exuded from his eyes.

At first I kept my desires buried for fear that he would be disgusted to even _befriend _a mortal like me, but ever since he admitted his "liking" towards me, I have been optimistic. Dwelling on my thoughts took my attention away from the journey back, and before I knew it the familiar walls of Whiterun city loomed ahead of me.

"Let's get this over with," I whispered under my breath, hands pushing open the doors that led into the city districts.

* * *

_"Idiot!"_ roared Alduin, infuriated over how unskillful he was when it came to confessing his thoughts. He was so close to revealing to the Dovahkiin how he felt, but that imbecile of a dovah disturbed them both with his unneeded opinions! After that unfolded, the World Eater lost all courage to tell her what he had originally planned to divulge to her. In his uneasiness, he even managed to abandon her in a most uncaring way, most likely upsetting her. His problem was that he could not deal with not being in full control of what he wanted to transpire, and this usually led to him behaving in a forceful, controlling manner. _"She will return though,"_ Alduin told himself reassuringly, _"That I am sure of." _Soon enough his patience ran thin, so he began to circle high above Whiterun to keep a look out for when she finished her errands.

* * *

All dragons present at Skuldafn were in shock about the whole situation involving the newly found Dovahkiin. Worry began to spread like wildfire about the possibility of this mortal devouring their souls. Dragons were normally immortal. Even if slain by conventional means, a dovah's soul could be easily restored by a certain shout. The exception was the Dovahkiin, who had the ability to absorb the soul of a dovah if it happened to die in her vicinity. It was this probability of permanent death that unnerved most of the dovah present at the temple, except for one individual.

An Ancient Dragon by the name of Sotvenbruniik did not engage in the nervous conversation of his brethren. His mind dwelled on the appearance of the mortal woman who rode away on Alduin's neck. _The mortal looked so soft, so delicate,_ he thought, _Something about her is just, __**intriguing**__. _A strange spark of interest arose within him after feeling the presence of her dovah soul, and his curiosity urged him to explore this intoxicating emotion further. Sunlight beamed down upon him while he soaked in the sexual cravings coursing through his veins, something never felt by any dovah before. _This female must help me learn more of my new desires, _Sotvenbruniik concluded, _Taking no action on these emotions is agonizing! _A quick thrust downward of his wings threw him into the sky above, earning him looks from other dragons in the vicinity. His path was clear to her since her scent was fresh enough to follow.

"_You will be MINE Dovahkiin!" _he roared into the clouds, soaring westward toward Whiterun Hold, determined to take Liana for himself.

* * *

**Alduin's got a little competition now with this new dragon, let's see how this plays out for Liana later on. ;)**


	5. Important Update! (Not a chapter)

Important Update: I'm SO sorry for such a long hiatus with this story! I had an extreme case of writer's block over the summer, and the start of a new academic semester has kept me busy with my studies these past few weeks. I don't plan on abandoning this story, but updates might be a little more scarce than normal. Once again, sorry for such a long period of silence!


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